Impactful Faculty Member
Dr. Melissa Muller has had the greatest impact in my collegiate experience. All of the classes I have taken taught by her have been so fun; from the lectures to the hands on experience with the animals her class focuses on. Most importantly, Dr. Muller treats every student like an individual, and makes everyone feel seen and heard. She is one of the biggest supporters I have on campus because her door is always open to ask questions about class, or just to talk.
A Career in Psychology
My ultimate career goal is to become a therapist. I've always loved psychology, even when I didn't know the study of human behavior had a name. I've always found how people interact with each other fascinating. I've always wanted to help people deal with the struggles of their lives, because everyone is fighting their own mental problems, and everyone deserves to have their feelings and voices heard. Mount Union is helping me prepare for that goal by offering classes that help me practice scenarios I could experience with clients in a controlled setting. For example, the Learning and Conditioning course. In this class, I learned about classical and operant conditioning, and then I experienced practicing these types of conditioning by training a dog. Every Friday for the rest of the semester, My group and I trained a dog to go through an obstacle course. It was a great way to see the concepts from class being applied.
Overcoming Obstacles in College
I was terrified to go to college. I loved my high school experience and I loved my family, so changing all of that suddenly felt very rapid. Even though I had settled on Mount Union, I was still unsure of staying committed. However, I was able to overcome my fears quickly. I met people who were just like me, and found groups that made me feel included and accepted. I wasn't as alone as I had feared, because every first year student was alone for the first time. We all needed people in those moments, and we were able to find each other, and get back on our feet.